


Just Neighbors

by Artemis_Charmed



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Babysitting, Gen, Neighbors, way too much eyerolling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:55:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24755113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_Charmed/pseuds/Artemis_Charmed
Summary: Adventures in babysitting. Camden POV | You can't say that Jackson and Isaac were neighbors and expect me to ignore that fact.
Kudos: 14





	Just Neighbors

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Jackson Whittemore Appreciate Week!
> 
> Pretty sure I started this one back in 2013, but I finally finished!

They weren’t friends. Never were. They didn’t have a relationship where they were friends until middle school and Jackson became popular and left him behind. (This isn’t a Disney show.) They were neighbors - lived across the street from each other, and once they got to high school, they were also lacrosse teammates. Nothing more. (Until Derek bit them both and they became packmates, but that’s a different story.)

+++

Camden Lahey opened the door to see his neighbor smiling. “Hey, Mrs. Whittemore,” the 16-year-old greeted.

“Hello, Camden,” she replied. “Sorry for the short notice, but I have a favor to ask of you. A job, actually.” 

“Sure, what’s up?”

“Can you watch Jackson after school on Thursday?” It was currently 8 p.m. on Tuesday. “I’m not sure for how long. David is in court late all week and I’m dealing with a crisis at work,” she sighed frustrated. “I will, of course, pay you for your time,” she added.

The amount was irrelevant. The Whittemores always paid more than originally negotiated, depending on how long it was for and their mood. Considering the short notice and quite possibly long night ahead, Camden estimated earning up to $100. And Jackson was well-behaved; would probably just do homework and then Camden could set his brother and Jackson in front of the TV and order pizza.

“Sure,” he replied. “I can watch Jackson. And pick him up after school with Isaac.”

Mrs. Whittemore beamed. “Oh, thank you! You are a lifesaver, Camden. I’ll tell Jackson to find Isaac after school.”

+++

“Hey, listen, Buddy. I’m gonna pick you up after school, okay? Mrs. Whittemore asked me to watch Jackson for a few hours, okay?”

“Sure,” Isaac shrugged, finishing his cereal and flipping to the next page in the comic book he was reading. 

Camden smiled and ruffled his brother’s hair on his way out. High school started earlier than elementary and Isaac had a little bit before the bus came.

+++

“Sweetie, your father and I are both working late tonight.” 

“Okay.”

“I’ve asked Camden Lahey to watch you after school.”

Jackson rolled his eyes. “I don’t need a babysitter. I’m nine.”

“I’m aware, Jackson. But it’s not for a couple of hours. I won’t be home until very late. Neither will your father. So, please, just find Isaac when school ends. Camden will pick you up.”

Jackson stared at her for a moment, blankly - she was used to it by now, ever since he accidentally found out he was adopted three years ago - before grabbing his lunch and leaving the kitchen.

+++

At lunch, Jackson was boredly eating his sandwich, listening to the guys talking around him. 

Danny turned to him and nudged Jackson’s arm. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Danny stared. 

“My mom got me a _baby_ sitter.”

Danny chuckled. “So what?”

“I don’t need a babysitter,” he huffed. 

Danny rolled his eyes; his best friend was always dramatic. “You do if they’re out late.”

“I’m _nine_.”

“Exactly!”

Jackson glared. 

“When is this for? You can come over and stay with me,” he suggested. 

“I wish. It’s today, after school. Isaac’s brother.”

“That’s cool.”

Jackson rolled his eyes this time. “Whatever. Can we talk about something else?”

And then Danny rejoined the conversation at the table. Jackson zoomed them out.

+++

When the final bell rang, Jackson slowly made his way to the parent pick-up area. He easily found Isaac. The curly-haired boy was sitting on the cement walkway with a comic book, chatting with Matt. 

Jackson couldn’t understand why his mother was forcing this. If he already rode the bus and stayed alone until she arrived, why couldn’t he stay alone a couple of extra hours. He wasn’t dumb; he could take care of himself, _thank you very much._

A few minutes later, Camden pulled up. 

“Gotta go, Matt. Later,” Isaac stood up and waved. He noticed Jackson off to the side. “My brother’s here,” he said.

Jackson rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I see that.”

Silently, they walked over to Camden’s car. Isaac opened the back door and both boys went in, putting their seatbelts on.

“Hey, guys,” Camden turned his head to watch the boys. “How was school?”

Jackson rolled his eyes and stayed silent.

Isaac shrugged. “Fine.”

Camden nodded; turned back around, face forward; and drove off.

The rest of the car ride remained silent. When Camden parked, everyone exited the car. Jackson looked across the street at his home and back to the house he would be imprisoned at for the next few hours. He sighed again. 

Camden opened the front door with a sigh of his own. The kid was so overdramatic. But then Camden stopped those thoughts. The kid was adopted - from birth. He was only nine and he shouldn’t even know this. He was such a mini-Whittemore in looks (and attitude). 

“Hey, you guys want a snack or should I order pizza now?” Camden said with pep in his voice as he followed the third graders inside and into the living room.

Jackson was already sitting on the floor against the couch and in front of the table. He had moved it closer to him, books already out. 

Camden raised an eyebrow and caught his brother’s gaze. 

Isaac shrugged and started taking his notebook out, too. “Order now, I guess.”

Camden nodded and went to order.

When he returned 10 minutes later, he found Jackson in deep concentration over an essay. Isaac was scowling at his math worksheet. Camden sat down next to his brother. “What are we working on?”

Jackson remained silent as he wrote.

Isaac put his pencil down. “Division,” he mumbled. “I hate it.” 

Camden moved the worksheet over to look at it. It was easy for him; granted, he was in pre-calculus. But he was having trouble finding words to explain simple division to a third grader. 

“Anything divisible by itself is 1. If the second number is half the first, it’s 2. Anything that has a 0 or 5 at the end is divisible by 5,” came a bored voice. 

Camden looked up but only saw Jackson writing and focused on his homework. 

“Thanks,” Isaac said with a slight blush. He took the paper back from his brother and started on the easy ones. 

Camden just kept looking at the Whittemore boy, willing him to look up. He didn’t. Camden sighed and got up to get his backpack. At least he was (essentially) getting paid to do his homework. 

It was silent for the next half hour until the doorbell rang, signaling pizza. Camden jumped up, leaving the weird atmosphere. 

He brought the pizzas to the table, along with plates and napkins. He was pretty sure that Jackson didn’t need a fork and knife to eat pizza. He wasn’t that strange. _Hopefully_.

“Hey, you guys want to watch TV while we eat?”

Jackson paused his hand, and after way too long in Camden’s opinion, he nodded and pushed his work to the side. “Whatever.”

Jesus, did the kid’s tone ever change to show something other than bored contempt? _Whatever_ , indeed. Camden turned on the television and opened one of the boxes, grabbing a slice. A plate appeared in front of him. He turned to see his brother’s outstretched hand. “Thanks, Buddy,” he smiled at Isaac.

+++

When the doorbell rang hours later, Camden got up and answered it. 

“Hello, Camden.” 

“Hey, Mrs. Whittemore. Come in. We’re in the living room.” He stepped aside to let her in. “Jackson did his homework and we ate. Pizza. I hope that’s okay.”

“Oh, of course. Thank you. You’re a lifesaver.”

“Happy to help,” he smiled. Really, he was just happy Jackson was leaving. Isaac was shy, but Jacskon was just…

“Ready to go, honey?”

Jackson turned to his mother and nodded, stood up, and grabbed his bag.

Emotionless. Yeah, that’s it, Camden thought. He showed nothing. What in the world was this kid’s problem? How as a 9-year-old this jaded?

Mrs. Whittemore held a check out. Camden blinked, clearing his thoughts. “Thanks. If you ever have another late night, I’m happy to help.”

Jackson rolled his eyes. 

“I appreciate it, Camden. We’ll keep you in mind.”

Camden followed the Whittemores to the door and opened it. 

Before he could be prompted, Jackson turned to Camden with a wide smile. “Thanks for having me!”

Camden blinked, startled. “Uh. Yeah. No problem.”

The Whittemores walked out and Camden slowly closed the door, sagging against it. And then he looked at the check. Oh yeah. _Worth it!_

_\- 30 -_


End file.
